Fan Zhendong powers his way to victory in the table tennis men's singles final at the Paris Olympic Games on Sunday. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao / China Daily]

Some overzealous fans soon tried to link his defeat to attending the concert and enjoying himself, believing it distracted him from his preparations for the tournament.

His post of the concert was soon flooded by negative comments, criticizing his lack of commitment.

As a major sports celebrity in China, Fan has called on his followers to "be rational and boycott idol culture", after an incident which saw an unidentified fan break into his Beijing hotel room and steal his underwear.

"I am an athlete, cultivated by my country. It's my duty to fight for the country and, for more than 10 years, I've never wavered from this duty," Fan said.

"In my free time, I am just an ordinary young man. I have normal hobbies and I have my social network. I will continue to be true to my heart under the premise of following the law and the rules."